Title

Propagation of Gaussian-apodized paraxial beams through first-order optical systems via complex coordinate transforms and ray transfer matrices

Authors

Authors

T. Graf; D. N. Christodoulides; M. S. Mills; J. V. Moloney; S. C. Venkataramani;E. M. Wright

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

J. Opt. Soc. Am. A-Opt. Image Sci. Vis.

Keywords

LIGHT-BEAMS; DIFFRACTION; APPROXIMATION; APERTURE; ARGUMENT; EQUATION; Optics

Abstract

We investigate the linear propagation of Gaussian-apodized solutions to the paraxial wave equation in free-space and first-order optical systems. In particular, we present complex coordinate transformations that yield a very general and efficient method to apply a Gaussian apodization (possibly with initial phase curvature) to a solution of the paraxial wave equation. Moreover, we show how this method can be extended from free space to describe propagation behavior through nonimaging first-order optical systems by combining our coordinate transform approach with ray transfer matrix methods. Our framework includes several classes of interesting beams that are important in applications as special cases. Among these are, for example, the Bessel-Gauss and the Airy-Gauss beams, which are of strong interest to researchers and practitioners in various fields. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America

Journal Title

Journal of the Optical Society of America a-Optics Image Science and Vision

Volume

29

Issue/Number

9

Publication Date

1-1-2012

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

1860

Last Page

1869

WOS Identifier

WOS:000309060000014

ISSN

1084-7529

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